The foreground leaves are not from this plant (they
are Cercis canadensis). Matelea carolinensis is a
downy perennial twining vine that in this case used
the Cercis to climb to light. The 3-5" long heart-
shaped leaves are opposite along the vines with the
clusters (5-10) of dark brown-purple five-lobed 1"
flowers forming at the leaf axils. Moist woods and
thickets mostly in Middle Tennessee late May to July.

FAMILY: Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed Family)
AKA: Milkvine, Spinypod, Climbing Milkweed